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Taka Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
In the countryside
A lack of opportunity for earning money in the countryside forced men to migrate for wage-work.
What exactly does 'in the countryside' refer to? 'Earning'? 'Opportunity'? Or 'a lack'?
What exactly does 'in the countryside' refer to? 'Earning'? 'Opportunity'? Or 'a lack'?
Top answer
Hi Taka, Where have you been? A lack of opportunity for earning money in the countryside forced men to migrate for wage-work. What exactly does 'in the countryside' refer to?
- Hi Taka, Where have you been?
- A lack of opportunity for earning money in the countryside forced men to migrate for wage-work.
- What exactly does 'in the countryside' refer to?
- 'Earning'?
- 'Opportunity'?
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12 Answers
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Hi Taka,
Where have you been?
A lack of opportunity for earning money in the countryside forced men t
Where have you been?
A lack of opportunity for earning money in the countryside forced men t
00
Long time, no see, Clive.
'Opportunity in the countryside', 'earning money in the countryside'—they do seem to make sense. Why do you think they are incomprehensible?
'Opportunity in the countryside', 'earning money in the countryside'—they do seem to make sense. Why do you think they are incomprehensible?
00
Hi,
You're attributing to me a stronger position than I intended to take.
I said 'not really comprehensible', because I wanted to avoid the stronger word 'incomprehensible'. These nuances are important in English communication. No doubt in Japanese, too?
I just meant that those phrases don't really seem to me to help one comprehend the writer's full meaning.
You're attributing to me a stronger position than I intended to take.
I said 'not really comprehensible', because I wanted to avoid the stronger word 'incomprehensible'. These nuances are important in English communication. No doubt in Japanese, too?
I just meant that those phrases don't really seem to me to help one comprehend the writer's full meaning.
00
OK, let me ask this way. Leaving the problem of word order aside, purely from a grammatical point of view, what do you think 'in the countryside' modifies? It surely is about the lack of opportunity for earning money. But if you were supposed to pin down the single word that the phrase 'in the countryside' modifies, what would it be?
Or do you think it's ambiguous?
Or do you think it's ambiguous?
00
Hi,
From a purely grammar point of view, I'd look first for the nearest preceding noun - money.
Clive
From a purely grammar point of view, I'd look first for the nearest preceding noun - money.
Clive
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OH, that one. I had crossed out that option as I didn't think it was about some particular kind of money.
Hmm...well let's see what other people here have to say.
Hmm...well let's see what other people here have to say.
00
Hi,
OK.
The point, really, is that you have to think about meaning as well as grammar.
Clive
OK.
The point, really, is that you have to think about meaning as well as grammar.
Clive
00
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I wouldn't object to "money" as the qualified item. But I think I might be more inclined to lean towards "opportunity" as the headword.
There exists an opportunity. First qualification: it is to earn money. Second qualification: it takes place in the countryside. Third qualification: it is absent.
Thus ¬opportunity [to do X] [locative ADV]
MrP
There exists an opportunity. First qualification: it is to earn money. Second qualification: it takes place in the countryside. Third qualification: it is absent.
Thus ¬opportunity [to do X] [locative ADV]
MrP
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MrPedanticThus ¬opportunity [to do X] [locative ADV]So your 'lovative ADV' refers to 'to do X'? Is that what you mean P?
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